19 Oct Please The Palate Pick of the Week: The Beauty of Cerasuolo d’Abruzzo Wines

Cerasuolo means “cherry red” in Italian. And when you look at a glass of Cerasuolo d’Abruzzo you understand why it is aptly named. But is Cerasuolo d’Abruzzo a rosé wine or is it a light red wine?  If you think all rosé is supposed to be a pale pink color, you will say this is a light red wine. But Cerasuolo d’Abruzzo is in fact an Italian rosé, or rosato, made from the Montepulciano grape in the Abruzzo region in Italy. These beautiful cherry-red Cerasuolo d’Abruzzo Wines are the Please The Palate pick of the week.

Abruzzo is a region on the east coast of central Italy between the Adriatic Sea and the Gran Sasso, a part of Appennines. The primary grape is Montepulciano d’Abruzzo which produces a wine with ripe fruit flavors and soft tannins. Montepulciano d’Abruzzo makes up 80% of the wine produced in Abruzzo. But Montepulciano is also used to produce Cerasuolo d’Abruzzo, a rosato wine, which received DOC status in 2010.

Cerasuolo d’Abruzzo must be minimum 85% Montepulciano. There is also Cerasuolo d’Abruzzo Superiore which will be slightly higher in alcohol by 1%. Cerasuolo d’Abruzzo is made like many rosés. The grapes macerate on the skins for an set period of time. This time on the skins results in a cherry-like color wine that is fresh and fragrant with aromas of dark cherry, pomegranate, blood orange, cassis, roses, and carnations. On the palate, Cerasuolo d’Abruzzo is dry with tannins and a pleasant bitter note.

While Cerasuolo d’Abruzzo is a rosé/rosato, it is in many ways more like a light-bodied red. Cerasuolo d’Abruzzo is complex, structured, and bold, making it a very food friendly wine that can pair with seafood, charcuterie, pizza, pasta, and more!

FERZO 2023 Cerasuolo d’Abruzzo – Bright fresh with good acidity. Cherry and mineral notes with light tannins and a bitter finish.

VALORI 2023 Cerasuolo d’Abruzzo – Sourced from calcareous clay marl soils, the wine has intense floral aromas with notes of red fruits. It is fresh and light on the palate.

RADUSA 2022 Superiore Cerasuolo d’Abruzzo – Coming from clay-limestone soils, this wine has notes of pomegranate, wild berries, and geranium. On the palate, the wine is structured with a broad freshness and present tannins.

TENUTA TERRAVIVA GIUSI 2023 Cerasuolo d’Abruzzo – The grapes spent 18 months on the skins while undergoing spontaneous fermentation. The wine has a rustic nose with dark fruit and earthy, mineral notes.

FATTORIA GIUSEPPE SAVINI COLLEVENTANO 2023 Cerasuolo d’Abruzzo – Coming from the clay soils of Colline Termane, prime terroir for Montepulciano, the wine is super aromatic with floral notes of roses and carnations, as well as red licorice and red fruit aromas. On the palate, the wine is structured with a bitter finish.

MAZZAROSA 2022 Superiore Cerasuolo d’Abruzzo – Intense fruit and floral aromas with an herbaceous note and lots of acidity.

An added value of Cerasuolo d’Abruzzo wines is the price. These wines generally retail between $9-$15. I had the pleasure to try these wines at a seminar hosted by the North American Sommelier Association. Not all of the wines I tried are available in the US at this time. But if you are interested in trying Cerasuolo d’Abruzzo, head to your local wine retailer or search on wine-searcher.com to find wines in the market.